


Marrow to thy bones

by manekineko77



Category: Naruto
Genre: Inspired by Fanart, M/M, mythology AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-24 01:31:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8351050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manekineko77/pseuds/manekineko77
Summary: The gifts were not a bad idea, Kakashi knew, he would just have to think of something else Iruka would like.
 Inspired by Gods of Spring and Death.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pentapus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pentapus/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Gods of Spring and Death](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7820365) by [pentapus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pentapus/pseuds/pentapus). 



> Inspired by pentapus's lovely fanart (well, mostly by the comment that this was far from the first flower to suffer such fate). Hopefully this small offering will be at least on a par with Kakashi’s wilted flower. :) Unbetaed, all corrections welcome.

Kakashi was thoughtful as he slouched his way back to the Underworld. His current tactic has stopped yielding desired results: instead of an exasperated smile it drew from Iruka in the beginning, his weekly gift of a flower now only brought out an irritated stare. In hindsight, it really shouldn’t be a surprise that the Spring god would not look kindly for long on continued wilting of his emblem flowers. Not that Kakashi could help it – any living thing he touched died at the hands of Death god. But he needed to make lovely, shiny Iruka as happy as Iruka’s mere presence made Kakashi. The gifts were not a bad idea, Kakashi knew, he would just have to think of something else Iruka would like. Alas, bringing him fluffy animals, which would ordinarily be a charming gift Iruka would coo over, would certainly end badly. Kakashi may be immortal, but he had no desire to find out how thoroughly Iruka would maim him… He _could_ bring him a hellhound puppy, Bisuke was fawning cuteness personified, but he doubted Iruka would have easy access to anguish of damned souls hellhounds fed on.

So he had to think of something cute or lovely, to match the cuteness and loveliness of the intended recipient, but also something unique, with a personal touch… Kakashi’s vacant gaze locked on the ground he trod on. He was quite good with a knife, and the raw material was all around him…

 oOo

It took Iruka a while to notice Kakashi’s absence, busy as he was with coaxing the new shoots from a fire-ravaged forest and encouraging nesting birds to re-colonise the abandoned territory. He wouldn’t say he _missed_ the taciturn shadowy presence or his penetrating gaze… and he _certainly_ didn’t miss all those poor flowers Death god kept bringing him. It wasn’t cute at all, nope. Not endearing in the least. And he wasn’t worried that he may have driven Kakashi off by his obvious ill-temper. He didn’t even yell! Much. Ah well, if Kakashi was so easily spooked away, Iruka was better off without him. It wouldn’t have worked anyway. Right? Iruka sighed heavily as he sat on the tree-stump that served as his usual resting place, only to jump up again. Something was left on his seat, a simple flute, carved in some sort of light, smooth material. It was only when Iruka brought it to his lips that he recognised it to be bone, cleaned and bleached. The sound it made was mournful yet lovely, like the last cry of a bird before it abandons its empty nest. Iruka lowered it with a smile.

oOo

Kakashi was nervous as he brought his newest offering to the living world. The flute was relatively easy to make, but when the time came to give it to Iruka it seemed so inadequate, a childish gift, not worth interrupting Iruka’s work for. So he simply left it for Iruka to find and decided to make more of an effort for the next one. Carving a bone pendant proved much trickier, especially for a perfectionist like Kakashi. Finally, embarrassingly high number of tries later, he had completed the carving of a flower in bloom supported by a trellis of branches morphing into stylized swirling clouds. So like the lovely yet temperamental Spring god… but what if Iruka didn’t like it? Kakashi was gone for so long, maybe Iruka thought he was no longer interested? Should he rather have made something simpler? Well, no point in dithering, what was done was done and soon Kakashi would know for certain. He stepped out into the clearing where Iruka sat on his usual seat, his arm extended so that a pair of wrens could sit on his finger and chirp at him. In his other hand, Kakashi’s heart leapt, Iruka held the flute.

Kakashi crept over the new grass towards Iruka, spooking the wrens who took off with an excited churr. Iruka still welcomed him with a smile, which slid away when he noticed the pendant in Kakashi’s outstretched hand. He reached out and took with awe in his eyes. “You made this?”

Kakashi may have scuffed the grass with his boot in pleased embarrassment as he replied. “It reminded me of you.”

Iruka’s smile at that was as blinding as the first ray of sun bursting through the clouds after a spring shower. He clutched the pendant in his fist and looked up at Kakashi through his eyelashes. “Such a lovely gift deserves something in return.”

Honestly, Kakashi was expecting a kiss. Nothing much, a peck on his masked cheek would more than suffice. What he got instead was Iruka taking a hold of his hand and pulling him back towards the edge of the clearing. “Take me to your realm”!

oOo

Iruka couldn’t help but be amused by Kakashi’s sceptical look as he squatted next to Iruka and watched him work. A sapling had sprouted from the barren ground of the Underworld, its fresh green leaves practically glowing in the dim underground.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to plant a flower here? It will only die.” Kakashi opined plaintively. After all the trouble he had gone through to stop killing flowers…

“It’s not a flower, it’s a beech sapling. But yes, even a tree would have a hard time surviving here.” Iruka answered as he straightened up and brushed the bone dust off his knees. He smiled at Kakashi’s confused frown. “That’s why I’ll have to visit regularly to keep it growing and healthy.”

Kakashi’s frown cleared as he sprung to his feet and stepped towards Iruka. The mask did little to cover his gaping face and Iruka laughed mischievously at him. “So see you soon!” he waved as he scampered off towards the Gates of the living world. He was already thinking what he should bring to the Underworld the next time he came.

**Author's Note:**

> Visualisation aid/inspiration:  
> [bone flutes](http://rs.198034.mrsite.com/images/thumbs/0000000051364_600_0.jpg)  
> [carved bone pendant](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/3d/16/7a/3d167a6dfa4539c676c94cfe177c9416.jpg)  
> [a beech tree](http://previews.123rf.com/images/filmfoto/filmfoto1208/filmfoto120800064/14884116-big-single-beech-tree-in-summer-Stock-Photo-life.jpg)


End file.
